Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, said today:

"It is awfully late in the game for BP to deny responsibility for the Gulf oil disaster and we expect the court of appeals to quickly dispatch this desperate legal maneuver. These legal issues must be resolved once and for all so we can focus on the task of cleaning up the aftermath of the disaster and restoring the Gulf of Mexico.

"Today the Gulf Restoration Council is taking a step forward by finalizing its framework for restoration. We look forward to working with the council as it develops a process for incorporating science, sets a policy to evaluate projects, and engages the public in all these decisions. The Gulf has waited long enough; it's time to spell out how this plan can lead to action."